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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26007532">Supernerds</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProseApothecary/pseuds/ProseApothecary'>ProseApothecary</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shazam! (2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bisexual Freddy Freeman, Coming Out, Family Dynamics, He just has...queer energy, High School, It doesn't come up but the club scene has me fully convinced that Pedro is also queer, M/M, Minimal Angst and Fluff, Set mid-canon? I think?, Tutoring</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:27:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,604</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26007532</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProseApothecary/pseuds/ProseApothecary</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Billy stops to stare at Freddy.<br/>“You’re getting tutored? Wasn’t Rosa trying to make that happen for like, 3 years?”<br/>“I’ve seen the light,” Freddy says. “No longer an angry foster kid, now an obedient, cherubic child.”<br/>“Uh-huh,” says Billy, disbelievingly. “This tutor. She cute?”<br/>“No.” Freddy fidgets with the duvet underneath him. “That’s-look, he offered to do it for free, and believe it or not, I do give a shit about whether or not I actually graduate.”<br/>“Oh.” Billy blinks, recalibrating. “Ok. Do you want Takis?”<br/>“Uh. Yeah. Yes. Thanks.”<br/>Billy heads downstairs, and Freddy breathes out.</p><p>This tutor. He <i>is</i> cute.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Darla Dudley &amp; Freddy Freeman, Freddy Freeman &amp; Billy Batson, Freddy Freeman &amp; Rosa Vasquez, Freddy Freeman &amp; Victor Vasquez, Freddy Freeman/OMC, Shazamily</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>73</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Freddy’s been building up to saying something for the past 15 minutes. He knows it’s only a big deal to <em>him</em>, because he knows exactly what’s going on his head. To Billy, it’s gonna seem totally normal. <em>So act normal, Freddy.</em></p><p>When Billy gets up from his chair to get a snack, he says, quickly, “Don’t wait up for me after school tomorrow. I have tutoring.”</p><p>Billy stops to stare at Freddy.</p><p>
  <em>Ah, shit. Maybe he knows exactly how abnormal this is.</em>
</p><p>“You’re getting tutored? Wasn’t Rosa trying to make that happen for like, 3 years?”</p><p>“I’ve seen the light,” Freddy says. “No longer an angry foster kid, now an obedient, cherubic child.”</p><p>“Uh-huh,” says Billy, disbelievingly. “This tutor. She cute?”</p><p>“No.” Freddy fidgets with the duvet underneath him. “That’s-look, he offered to do it for free, and believe it or not, I do give a shit about whether or not I actually graduate.”</p><p>“Oh.” Billy blinks, recalibrating. “Ok. Do you want Takis?”</p><p>“Uh. Yeah. Yes. Thanks.”</p><p>Billy heads downstairs, and Freddy breathes out.</p><p> </p><p>This tutor. He <em>is</em> cute.</p><p>A couple strands of golden-blonde hair escape his slicked-back hair every time he leans over the textbook. Freddy fidgets, tapping his fingers against the wooden bench, watching the 3-inch space between them. It’s driving him quietly insane.</p><p>It’s not a new feeling.</p><p> </p><p>Freddy has a habit of quietly venting in class. Little comments. They’re not really meant for anyone else, just releasing the stopper on his frustration every now and then. He’s pretty sure the rest of the class just thinks he has some kind of leg-rot that’s spread to his brain.</p><p>Except for Joshua. As soon as he joined the class, he would chuckle quietly at every one of Freddy’s comments.</p><p>The first time, Freddy startled and looked over at him. Joshua looked up from his book with big olive eyes, and smiled. Freddy panicked, immediately, and stared at his book for the rest of class.</p><p> </p><p>A week later, he’d worked up the courage to say, “Do you get this? I don’t get this.” And attempted to pay attention while Joshua walked him through a problem.</p><p>Four weeks, and several walkthroughs later, he’d worked up the courage to ask, “Would you tutor me? I would pay, obviously.” <em>I’ll sell Mary’s old beanie babies,</em> he’d rationalised. <em>I’ll become a Shazam photographer. I’ll join a freakshow, the miraculous limping boy.</em></p><p>“Happy to do it for free,” Joshua had said, which was suspicious. Or nice, but Freddy hasn’t really met anyone nice outside of his immediate family (<em>and they’re pushing it, sometimes</em>), so for now it’s <em>suspicious.</em></p><p> </p><p>“Freddy? You still with me?” Joshua raises an eyebrow, smiling.</p><p>“Yuh-huh.” <em>God, this was a bad idea. What happens when it becomes clear exactly how little maths he’s retained at the end of all of this? </em></p><p>“You wanna have a go?” Joshua holds out his pen. It looks like one of those pens people spend actual money on. Freddy can’t imagine spending actual money on a pen. Although, to be fair, he’s not in a position to spend money on anything. At least without that beanie baby fund.</p><p>“…No thank you,” Freddy says eventually.</p><p>Joshua snorts. His eyes crinkle at the edges.</p><p>“Ok,” he says, in that same even tone. No one retains an even tone for long, around Freddy. “Let’s try a different method.”</p><p> </p><p>It’s sort of a miracle, after that, that Joshua still wants to tutor him. But they agree to meet up again, same time next week.</p><p>If Freddy could walk with a spring in his step, he would.</p><p> </p><p>Spring time can only last for so long.</p><p>“C’mon,” Freddy pleads. “It’ll take two seconds.”</p><p>“I thought we were gonna be more careful about this,” Billy argues. “No Shazam-ing unless absolutely necessary?”</p><p>“My textbook is on top of a gym roof. It’s absolutely necessary that I get my textbook back.”</p><p>“So studious these days,” Billy says, raising an eyebrow. When Freddy doesn’t respond, he gives a little, defeated, “Shazam,” and starts clambering up the side of the gym onto the roof.</p><p>“Hey, Freddy, I think I took your-”</p><p>Freddy turns to see Joshua, stock-still, gazing at the roof with an open mouth.</p><p>“Uh. Hi.”</p><p>“Freddy. There’s-you see that, right?”</p><p>Freddy considers the idea of gaslighting him for a little longer than he’s comfortable admitting. “Yeah,” he admits eventually. “I…know him.”</p><p>“You <em>know</em> him?”</p><p>Freddy turns to have a conversation fully comprised of aggressive nods and facial expressions. Shazam sighs, jumps off the roof and turns back into Billy.</p><p>“Oh my God.”</p><p>“Surprise,” Billy says, increasingly tired-sounding. Freddy’s pretty sure he’s going to be calling in favours for years to come.</p><p>“This needs to be kept secret. Obviously.” Freddy says.</p><p>“Of course!” Joshua says, practically vibrating. His mouth draws into a grin. “This is so fucking <em>cool!</em>”</p><p> </p><p>“No. I didn’t get to choose my costume. A cape…would not have been my choice.” Billy crosses and uncrosses his legs as Joshua’s questioning continues.</p><p>“Mm. What happens if there’s like, a B&amp;E and you have a chemistry exam at the same time?”</p><p>“Chem exam. Can’t fight crime if I have to redo 12<sup>th</sup> Grade.”</p><p>“You sound like an after-school special,” Freddy says. He’s laying on the grass, a little distant from where the two of them are sitting. Tiny flakes of snow are just starting to land on his cheeks.</p><p>They ignore him. “What about nemeses?” Joshua asks. “You have any nemeses?”</p><p>“I’m gonna head home,” Freddy says, getting up. “It’s too cold out here.” Billy and Joshua get up too.</p><p>“It’s fine,” Freddy says. “You guys stay.” He waves them off, and starts trudging home, listening to the <em>clank</em> of his crutch against the ground grow louder as the sounds of conversation drop off.</p><p> </p><p>He’s been lying on his bunk, doing nothing but simmering in resentment for the last half hour, when Billy walks in.</p><p>“So.” He says. “Josh is cool.”</p><p>
  <em>Josh. Nicknames already.</em>
</p><p>“I have one friend.” Freddy says. “You couldn’t let me keep <em>that</em>?”</p><p>Billy stares at him. “He wanted to talk to me. What do you want me to do, Freddy, tell him to fuck off?”</p><p>Freddy doesn’t have an answer. He feels suddenly hyperaware that he’s in the wrong, but still too wrapped up in bitterness to take any of it back.</p><p>He rolls onto his side, facing the wall.</p><p>“Here’s your fucking textbook,” Billy says, and Freddy flinches as he feels it thump next to his ankle.</p><p>He shuts his eyes tight, and breathes out as he hears the door close.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Joshua sits next to him in Maths, same as always.</p>
<p>“I get it. What’s bothering you,” he says, and Freddy feels an instant frisson of panic run down his spine.</p>
<p>Freddy makes an indeterminate, panicked noise, and raises an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“I know I didn’t seem like the best confidante, with all the questions. Sorry. I got a <em>little</em> excited, but I get how important this is.  I’m a lockbox, promise.”</p>
<p>“I know, dude,” Freddy says on a breath out. “I wouldn’t have told you otherwise.”</p>
<p>Joshua smiles at him. “So…we’re good, right?”</p>
<p>“Yep.” Freddy looks back at his book.</p>
<p>They don’t talk until Mr Clark hands out last week’s pop quiz. Tutoring’s upped his scores a lot.</p>
<p>“C-,” Joshua says, peeking over. “Not bad.”</p>
<p>“That’s a foster kid A+,” Freddy’s saying before he can really stop himself. “I mean, unless you’re Eugene. Or Mary. Might just be a Freddy Freeman A+.”</p>
<p>“My foster siblings,” he explains, when Joshua raises an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Right.” Joshua says. “Billy only told me about Darla. Specifically, the fact that you dressed up as Catboy for her last birthday.”</p>
<p>“…Billy told you this,” Freddy says, realising several things, all varying degrees of terrifying.</p>
<p>“Uh-huh. You know, I think he wanted to make it clear that there was a real <em>softie</em> underneath the snarky exterior.”</p>
<p>“There’s not.” Freddy taps his pen against the desk, an outlet for all the nervous energy he’s suddenly feeling. “Darla’s just a special case.”</p>
<p>“Yeah? Why?”</p>
<p>“Because she’s never done anything wrong in her life,” Freddy says, and looks back at his book.</p>
<p>He hears Joshua snort next to him. “Alright. Nice going, Darla!”</p>
<p><em>Yeah,</em> Freddy thinks. <em>Time to be more of a Darla.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Freddy opens the door to their bedroom and walks in, plate-first.</p>
<p>“Me and Eugene made brownies.”</p>
<p>He thinks it’s a pretty good opener. But Billy still looks tentative as he takes the plate. “…Thanks.”</p>
<p>Freddy self-consciously shuts their bedroom door behind him while Billy looks at him expectantly.</p>
<p>“Sorry. About yesterday. Obviously you can talk to whoever you want to talk to. I was just feeling weird because. I-It seems like maybe you already know but.” He freezes, and instead, ends with “…Were you being my wingman?”</p>
<p>Billy looks at him for a couple of seconds. “Trying to. You cool with that?”</p>
<p>“…Yeah,” Freddy says, feeling like the floorboards are shifting under his feet. Manufacturing some bravado, he adds, “But I really like this guy. So maybe next time you can skip the anecdotes about me <em>dressing up at birthday parties</em>-”</p>
<p>Billy laughs. “I was helping! Good with kids! It’s a plus!”</p>
<p>“Sure it is.” Freddy says. He swallows. “Uh. Please don’t tell anyone. About me. I know all Victor and Rosa would do is start designing a Pride float but I just…”</p>
<p>“Dude. You don’t have to explain the concept of trust issues to me. I’m very familiar. And I won’t tell anyone if you don’t want me to.”</p>
<p>“Ok. Thanks.”</p>
<p>“No, thank <em>you,</em> for making me the first to know.” He pauses, and says, edge of a laugh in his voice, “I can’t believe I’m your favourite.”</p>
<p>There’s only a second-long pause before Freddy says, “Darla’s-”</p>
<p>“-brother,” Billy interrupts. “You didn’t let me finish. I can’t believe I’m your favourite brother.”</p>
<p>Freddy tries to bite down on his smile. “Ok. Whatever you need to tell yourself.” He blinks, realising, with a burgeoning dread, that his eyes are wet.</p>
<p>“Alright,” he says, backing towards the door. “Well. I-”</p>
<p>But Billy, just as quickly, sweeps him into a hug.</p>
<p>“I’ve got your back, Freddy. Always.”</p>
<p>He doesn’t pull away, even when Freddy gets snot on his windbreaker.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Billy is <em>very</em> supportive of Freddy getting himself a love life.</p>
<p>A little too supportive, sometimes.</p>
<p>“So?” he asks one evening, when Freddy is lying in bed, trying to read his textbook. “How’s operation Seduce Joshua going?”</p>
<p>“Please don’t call it that. And badly. He ruffled my hair the other day. Like I was his little brother. Or pet chihuahua.”</p>
<p>“Hm,” Billy says sagely. “Maybe it’s the height.” He gets a pillow to the face for his troubles.</p>
<p>“You know,” he says, throwing the pillow back down to the bottom bunk. “there’s always the option of. Saying something.”</p>
<p>“Uh-huh. I often think that, as a disabled foster kid, my beatings aren’t frequent enough.”</p>
<p>“He’s not gonna hate-crime you. He knows you have a direct line to a masked vigilante.”</p>
<p>“What a romantic opener. ‘I like you, and I think you should keep in mind that I know someone who could beat you up.’”</p>
<p>“Stick with the first part. Leave the simmering undercurrent of violence unsaid.”</p>
<p>“Oh my God.” He drops the textbook onto his face. “I’m gonna be single forever.”</p>
<p>Billy pauses thoughtfully. “He’s a nerd, right?”</p>
<p>“He’s not a nerd.”</p>
<p>“…He’s your maths tutor. Who also happens to be in the debate club.”</p>
<p>“So he’s a bit of a nerd. Still several dozen social strata above me.”</p>
<p>“No shit, you still have the Kim Possible theme as your ringtone. My point is, lean into that. Offer him a big scoop on canteen policy for the newsletter. Play a romantic game of Catan. Tutor him in Batman lore. Whatever.”</p>
<p>Freddy thinks on it. “That’s…not a terrible idea. I mean, individually, all of those ideas are terrible, obviously. But…the gist could work.”</p>
<p>“You’re welcome. Now go to sleep.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>With Billy’s advice in mind, Freddy still has to wait a long time for an opening. So, when he finally gets one in the form of Joshua mentioning an upcoming debate, he rapidly gets out, “CanIcome?” without really thinking about it.</p>
<p>Joshua stares at him for such a long time that Freddy rapidly backtracks. “Or not. If that’s weird.”</p>
<p>“No, no. It’s just- you know the only people who actually come to those are guilty parents? And some of them use it as naptime.”</p>
<p>“Well, all the parties I’d usually go to on a Friday night fell through, so…”</p>
<p>“Alright man,” Joshua says with a smile. “Be prepared for a rousing debate on the role of media in society.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Freddy doesn’t pay a lot of attention to the debate. He does pay attention to the fact that Joshua’s wearing a button-up shirt and a blazer, while he is wearing a shirt with <em>Holy Pianola, Batman</em> written across it in frosted lettering.</p>
<p>When he tunes in to the clapping, Joshua’s team are grinning, so he thinks it’s safe to assume they won.</p>
<p>He waves at Joshua from the audience, afterwards. Joshua grins and waves back.</p>
<p>He’s wondering if he should leave and let Joshua hang out with the team, when, with a burgeoning horror, he realises that Joshua is waving him over.</p>
<p>He’s hyperaware of how loud and slow he is, walking over on his crutch. He gives an awkward <em>Hi, sorry for being here</em> wave as he approaches.</p>
<p>“Freddy, this is Evelyn, Henry and Titus. Everyone, this is Freddy. Believe it or not, he came here of his own free will.”</p>
<p>“I like your shirt, Freddy.” Evelyn says.</p>
<p>“Oh,” Freddy says. “Thanks.” He’s pretty sure there are sweat stains at the pits by now. “Congratulations, guys. That was…really something.”</p>
<p>“Favourite rebuttal of the night?” Titus asks, with an intense gaze.</p>
<p>“Ignore him,” Evelyn says. “Hey, we’re headed to a party as soon as we clear out the snack table here. You interested?”</p>
<p>Freddy looks to Joshua, hoping, somehow, he will provide a way out. But Joshua just smiles and says, “Yeah, you should come.”</p>
<p>“Sure. Love parties. Big partier.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Joshua arrives at their little corner with 2 red solo cups of mysterious punch.</p>
<p>“You know, you don’t have to babysit me,” Freddy says, feeling a little guilty.</p>
<p>“I only know 4 people here. And Titus keeps trying to convince the debate team to start strategizing for next month. I’m good here.” He motions to the floor. “You mingle if you want, though.”</p>
<p>“I know <em>1</em> person here.” Freddy says. “I’m good.” He looks at Joshua’s blazer and his own ratty shirt. “You know, we look like a stockbroker and his preschool-aged son.”</p>
<p>Joshua snorts, and elbows him.</p>
<p>Freddy, who’s already keeping most of his weight on his crutch, flails for the wall and lands, unceremoniously, on his ass, punch spilling onto his socks. And then Joshua is kneeling down to his level, panicked.</p>
<p>“Fuck. I’m such an idiot, I’m sorry. That’s kind of a reflex, with my friends. I shouldn’t be allowed within 3 feet of other humans, obviously-are you hurt?”</p>
<p>Freddy laughs.</p>
<p>There’s something kind of brilliant about people forgetting he’s disabled, even just for a second. And Joshua said <em>friends.</em></p>
<p>The laughter is not making Joshua look any less concerned.</p>
<p>Freddy buttons it down to a smile, and shrugs. “I mean. How much more damage can you really do?”</p>
<p>“Seriously.” Joshua says, standing up and offering Freddy a hand. “Are you ok?”</p>
<p>“I’m fine,” Freddy says. He takes the hand, feeling a little self-conscious about it. Hobbling around takes a lot of effort, so he’s pretty sweaty. Luckily, Joshua’s palms are also a little clammy.</p>
<p>When they’re both up, Freddy lightly shoulder-checks him in retribution. Joshua huffs a sheepish laugh, pink high on his cheeks.</p>
<p><em>Fuck, </em>Freddy thinks.<em> I’m so gone.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Joshua walks him back home.</p>
<p>Some people are incapable of walking at Freddy’s speed. They find themselves overtaking, and stopping, and waiting, and overtaking again.</p>
<p>Joshua just melds to his pace like it’s automatic, chatting all the while.</p>
<p>“Freddy,” he says, when they’re both standing outside his door. His eyes keep darting elsewhere, and Freddy starts to feel a spidery sense of dread. “Listen, I may be barking up entirely the wrong tree here, and. You know, I was hoping to do this on a day where I hadn’t tackled you to the ground but uh. Would you want to go on a date sometime?”</p>
<p>Freddy stares at him fidgeting with his cufflinks. He peers over his shoulder for signs of a Punk’d camera crew.</p>
<p>Not finding anything, he manages to get out. “Yeah. Yes. I would like that.” He nods a little bit too much.</p>
<p>“Alright,” Joshua says, face splitting into a grin. “I’ll text you.”</p>
<p>He looks, for a second, like he might be leaning in for a kiss. Then he takes stock of where they are, adjacent to every one of Freddy’s family members, and goes in for a hug instead.</p>
<p>Freddy still feels the skin under his palms run hot.</p>
<p>They wave their goodbyes. Freddy stands outside for a moment, lost for what to do. He wants to scream into a pillow. He wants to jump on a bed for about 16 hours. He wants to tell Billy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey,” Billy says as soon as he opens the door to their bedroom. “How was debate club?” He puts on an airy voice. “Was it everything you dreamed it’d be?”</p>
<p>“I got a date.”</p>
<p>Billy sits up on his bunk, grinning. “You got a date? With Josh?”</p>
<p>“No, with the adjudicator. Yes with Josh.”</p>
<p>“Freddy!”</p>
<p>Billy clambers down the ladder. Freddy yelps as he’s lifted into a hug.</p>
<p>“Oh my God.” He says, suddenly stricken as his feet touch the floor again. “I have to go on a date. I’ve never been on a date. What the fuck do I say?”</p>
<p>“Freddy. This is literally the best possible outcome. Just bask in it for a little while.”</p>
<p>“Can’t bask,” Freddy says, looking around for his laptop. “Need to look up icebreakers.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Freddy adjusts his cutlery, and clears his throat. He’s about to ask <em>Which 5 historical figures would you invite to a dinner party?</em> when Joshua says, “Is it ok if I ask you something…about your leg?”</p>
<p>Freddy blinks. Every terrible icebreaker he’d found online was better than that one.</p>
<p>“Uh,” Freddy says, wanting to say <em>It depends what the question is.</em> “Sure.”</p>
<p>“Does it hurt? Because sometimes you look like-” Joshua gestures vaguely at his face, in a way that Freddy interprets as, <em>Your lovesick expressions look exactly like your face is contorted in pain.</em></p>
<p>“No,” Freddy says, “I mean yeah, sometimes, but that’s also just…my face.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” Joshua says with half a laugh. “Ok. Good to know.”</p>
<p>“Laugh it up,” Freddy says in a tone of great sorrow. “The disabled kid, was also, tragically, born ugly.”</p>
<p>“I’d have to see baby photos to verify that,” Joshua says. “But he grew up to be pretty cute.”</p>
<p>Freddy’s panic response is to stuff half his burger into his mouth. “Still cute?” he asks, chewing exaggeratedly so his cheeks chipmunk-out and some tomato sauce dribbles down his chin. It comes out more like <em>sku?</em></p>
<p>“Yeah,” Joshua says, grinning, chin in his hand. “That look really does it for me, actually.”</p>
<p>Freddy attempts to get the hamburger down without choking.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Freddy, who eats when he’s nervous, finishes his meal in about 5 minutes. Joshua, somehow, only grazes on half a basket of chips before announcing he’s full. Freddy takes the rest.</p>
<p>“You wanna go somewhere a little quieter?” Joshua asks, once Freddy’s polished it off.</p>
<p>
  <em>Oh God. What does that mean? Is this what a proposition is? Are they going to someone’s bedroom?</em>
</p>
<p>“There’s a park just down the street,” Joshua continues, and Freddy thinks, <em>Oh.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>They sit on a bench by the lake.</p>
<p>Freddy wishes he had another hamburger so he’d have something to do with his hands. Instead, he talks. A lot.</p>
<p>“Freddy,” Joshua says, a little bemused, once Freddy’s in the middle of critiquing Superman’s fighting style.</p>
<p>Freddy quiets, looking at him. Joshua palms his jaw with cool fingers, and quirks an eyebrow.</p>
<p>Freddy feels his fingers buzz. He wipes his hands on his jeans self-consciously, leaving chicken salt behind, and nods.</p>
<p>He opens his mouth last second, to say-<em>to say what?</em> <em>Lower your expectations? I haven’t done this before?</em></p>
<p>But Joshua’s mouth gets there first, and Freddy lets out a startled noise that makes him want to start digging his own grave.</p>
<p>Joshua does not seem particularly bothered. He licks between Freddy’s lips, and Freddy’s pretty sure his soul ascends.</p>
<p>
  <em>Freddy Freeman exceeds all expectations and gets kissed before 40. Our sources report he is still in shock.</em>
</p>
<p>Joshua pulls back a little. “Mm,” he says, still looking a little bemused. “Salty.”</p>
<p>“That’s just my personality,” Freddy says, and leans in again. He makes it as far as an Eskimo kiss before his courage gives out, noses brushing together.</p>
<p>Joshua smiles and finishes it, planting <em>1,2,3</em> chaste kisses against his mouth. Then he pulls back again and murmurs, “It’s getting late. What time do you have to be home, again?”</p>
<p> Freddy checks his phone in a daze. It’s 6:30.</p>
<p>There’s a missed message from Billy. <em>Told them you were studying but that excuse is getting less convincing with every minute. </em></p>
<p>“Shit. Half an hour ago.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’ve never seen you prioritise studying over food,” Victor says, handing him a plate of leftover lasagna. “Everything ok?”</p>
<p>“Did you know the Pompeiians ate fermented fish paste? And the Romans would mix seawater into their wine to make it taste <em>less</em> disgusting?”</p>
<p>“Oh, it was your favourite subject, freaky historical facts. It all makes sense now.” Victor ruffles Freddy’s hair and heads upstairs.</p>
<p>Billy sits opposite him, and kicks him under the table. “So?”</p>
<p>Freddy bites down on a smile and slides the plate over. “Please tell me you can finish this. I ate so many chips.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>At lunchtimes, Joshua’s usually busy with extracurriculars. But he tries to catch Freddy in the mornings and afternoons, when he drags him away to somewhere a little secluded, and they get a couple minutes to themselves.</p><p> </p><p> “Good?” Joshua asks, pulling back from the growing purple mark on Freddy’s shoulder.</p><p>“Passing grade,” Freddy says, poking at it.</p><p>“Hm. What about-” He plants a kiss on the tip of Freddy’s nose.</p><p>“…I feel like you’re not taking this seriously.”</p><p>“How serious is it?” Joshua asks, breaking into a grin.</p><p>“Deathly,” Freddy says, and goes in for a kiss.</p><p> </p><p>They walk towards the exit, via the carpark, arms bumping every few seconds.</p><p> </p><p>Distracted, they almost walk into a tall, blonde woman who looks like a Norwegian model. Who, Freddy quickly realises, is Joshua’s mother.</p><p>He waits for an introduction.</p><p>Joshua just stops, stock still, and asks, “What are you doing here?”</p><p>The woman leans against her car and taps her heel against the ground. “Your father’s being selfish again. You’re coming to my place instead. You got everything you need?”</p><p>“Uh.” Joshua says. “Sure.” He gives a forlorn little wave to Freddy as he gets in the car. Quick, like he doesn’t want it to be noticed.</p><p> </p><p>Freddy thinks about it all night.</p><p>There was a girl in preschool whose mother didn’t want her around Freddy. Thought his leg was contagious or something. There were others who didn’t want him around their kids because they thought his brain was affected. Freddy’s motormouth and penchant for gross facts did not help on that front.</p><p>He wonders if Joshua’s mother is one of those.</p><p>He wonders if it’s just a little embarrassing for Joshua, that he’s part of the debate club and newsletter group and knows all the people who will one day become lawyers and journalists, but he’s hanging out with the near-dropout who’s obsessed with comics.</p><p>He wonders if he doesn’t want to lie about what they are, so he doesn’t say anything at all.</p><p>He hopes it’s that. Joshua being ashamed of the fact that he’s a boy would be so much better than being ashamed of him being <em>Freddy.</em></p><p>But he can’t help the little voice that says <em>Trust me.</em> <em>It’s you.</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>Joshua finds him at lunch the next day, sitting outside on a park bench. </p><p>He sits opposite, smiling as he tugs lightly at the pompoms of Freddy’s new beanie. “Oh, <em>this</em> is cute.”</p><p>If there was a gesture that could de-escalate the situation, that was not it.</p><p>“Are you embarrassed of me?” Freddy asks in a rush.</p><p>Joshua stops playing with the tassels, smile plateauing out.  </p><p>He looks down a little sheepishly. “Is this about yesterday, because-”</p><p>“I wasn’t expecting you to call me your boyfriend or anything,” Freddy says hurriedly. “But. You seemed worried she might even <em>see</em> me.”</p><p>Joshua breathes out. Eyes on the table, he says, “My parents are a little intense, Freddy. They got divorced three years ago and they haven’t really moved beyond the trading blame phase. I was kind of hoping you wouldn’t have to meet them until. A ways down the line.”</p><p>Freddy’s brain sticks on a lot of different words, not least, <em>down the line.</em></p><p>“I don’t know if you’re aware,” he says. “But I’m sort of the poster boy for weird family situations.”</p><p>Joshua huffs a laugh.</p><p>“Just. In case you ever want to talk about it. Maybe I don’t get all of it. But I think I get enough.”</p><p> Joshua tugs on his beanie again. “Thanks, Pompom.”</p><p>“Nope. That’s not becoming a nickname.”</p><p>“I think it is, though.”</p><p>“Definitely not,” Freddy says, slotting their feet together under the table.</p><p> </p><p>Freddy sort of expects that Joshua is going to continue to be a bit of a closed book, and therefore Freddy is going to continue to feel guilty about how frequent and detailed every one of his own complaints about his life are in comparison.</p><p>But Thanksgiving wears away at most people’s willpower. And Joshua is no exception.</p><p> </p><p>They’re sitting at their tutoring table. Joshua was diverted from the subject of maths about 5 minutes ago.</p><p>“…So. The solution would be to alternate where Thanksgiving dinner is held each year. Right?”</p><p>Freddy watches Joshua pick at splinters on the wooden picnic table. “Right.”</p><p>“Wrong! It’s to make me choose. Every single year.”</p><p>“I feel like my old social worker is having a panic attack right now,” says Freddy. “So what do you do? Do you alternate?”</p><p>“I try to. But I didn’t used to keep track, so I’m pretty sure the tally’s uneven. It’s probably going to become a seething resentment somewhere down the track, and. Sometimes it seems like it’d be easier just to pick neither. I honestly think that would bother them less.”</p><p>“You know, if you really mean that,” Freddy says thoughtfully. “There’s always space at our table?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Freddy had never intentionally run away. He didn’t have the confidence Billy did, that he’d be able to make it on his own.</p><p>But after he’d been adopted, he’d often go walking, when everyone was asleep. He felt sheepish about letting people take care of him, and hearing the thud of his sneakers on the streets at 2 am let him feel like he was still independent.</p><p>He’d walked back in through the front door one night to see Victor on the phone, and Rosa, head in her hands.</p><p>The eye contact was immediate, and terrifying.</p><p>“You came back,” Rosa said, cheeks wet.</p><p>“I never went,” Freddy said, projecting carelessness and hiding shame. <em>You’ve never made anyone cry before</em>. “I wasn’t running away, I-I just go for walks, sometimes.”</p><p>Victor had murmured something into the receiver, <em>to the police, probably,</em> and Freddy’s heart had twisted up in fear.</p><p>Freddy watched him end the phone call. “We need to talk,” he’d said, voice frighteningly even.</p><p>“If you’re sending me back, you should know they don’t do refunds,” he’d said, fingers shaking. <em>If you’re sending me back, I’m getting the last word</em>. “It’s store credit only.”</p><p>Rosa had walked over, knelt on her calves, steadied him with a shaky hand on his cheek, and looked right through him.</p><p>“We chose you.”</p><p> </p><p>But they hadn’t chosen all the things they couldn’t see. They hadn’t chosen the kid who was currently failing 2 of his classes. They hadn’t chosen the kid who would need 6 replacement crutches, for every time it was smashed to pieces or thrown on top of the gym. They hadn’t chosen the queer kid. They hadn’t known the liabilities would keep on stacking up.</p><p> </p><p>That’s why Freddy doesn’t say a thing, until 2 days before Thanksgiving. By which time it’s far too late to ease into the news.</p><p>He watches Billy make a face at his first taste of leek soup. He watches Eugene ladle spoonfuls of it into a serviette he’s hiding in his lap while Darla tips her bowl up and chugs it. He watches Mary murmur insincere compliments to the chef every 6 seconds, while Pedro, in a daydream, pulls his spoon back and forth through the liquid.</p><p>He tries to remember everyone as they are now. Just in case.</p><p>And then he opens his mouth.</p><p>“CantheguyI’mseeingcometoThanksgivingthisyear?”</p><p>Billy starts choking on his soup, and doesn’t stop until Victor gives him two strong pats on the back.</p><p>He watches as Rosa and Victor have a brief, nonverbal conversation.</p><p>Rosa turns to him. “<em>Honey</em>-” she starts.</p><p>“A yes or no is fine, really.” Freddy says, pinching the tablecloth between his fingers.</p><p>“Then yes, of course. We would love to meet him.”</p><p>Freddy sort of regrets doing this 6 to 1. It’s hard to tell exactly what everyone is thinking, and making eye contact right now feels impossible. He glances around the table, but all he really registers is that no bibles are being waved around threateningly. And that Billy is downing an entire glass of water post-almost choking.</p><p>He stands up, before he really realises it’s happening. I-uh. Bathroom.” He says, and then he’s off.</p><p>He’s not really fast enough to flee effectively, but Rosa gives him a minute before she’s knocking on the bathroom door.</p><p>“Freddy. Honey. Did I handle that all wrong?”</p><p>Freddy huffs a laugh. He’s sure she’s kicking herself for only reading 12 books on fostering instead of 18. “No, you’re good, mum.” He winces a little, as soon as he hears himself. He hasn’t called Rosa that before. <em>Well. Not in front of her.</em></p><p>And, <em>yep</em>, that seems to be what convinces her the situation is Serious. There’s a brief, tense silence, and then she’s saying, more frenetically, “Freddy, sweetheart, can you open the door?”</p><p>And Freddy, in an effort to convince her he’s not sneaking out the window, opens up.</p><p>She closes the door behind her. Sits on her calves, and pulls him into a hug.</p><p>“You don’t have to kneel down every time,” Freddy says. “You’re gonna give me a Napoleon complex.”</p><p>“Ok, shorty,” she says, pulling back with a hand on his shoulder.</p><p>“Did anyone. Say anything?”</p><p>Rosa pauses. “Listen. I know Billy seemed a little shocked, but your Dad’s talking to him-”</p><p>Freddy starts laughing, and doesn’t stop until Rosa starts looking a little alarmed. “He’s lecturing Billy?”</p><p>“He’s not lecturing! He’s just asking que-”</p><p>“Billy’s fine with it,” Freddy says. He doesn’t explain any further, but he’s pretty sure Rosa works something out from the look in her eye.</p><p>“Ok.” she says. “Well, then. Mary says she hopes this means the teenage-boy jokes are going to stop. I didn’t ask what she meant because I’m not sure I wanna know-”</p><p>“Wise.”</p><p>“-Pedro is characteristically unphased. Eugene’s excited to have someone new to beat at Fortnite, and Darla wants to know if your boyfriend likes stickers. I’d be happy just to know a little bit about him.”</p><p>“His name’s Joshua.” It’s an annoying name to say. You have to smile to say it. “He hasn’t technically <em>done</em> Model UN, but he’s <em>that</em> type of person.” That is about all Freddy can say without getting soppy.</p><p>Rosa raises an eyebrow. “Is that all I’m getting?”</p><p>“That’s all you’re getting.”</p><p>She sighs. “Alright. Joshua. I can’t wait to meet him.” She stands up. “You good, Ricitos? You want to come back down?”</p><p>“I’m good,” Freddy says. “But I think I’ll just go to bed.”</p><p>“I’ll get Billy to bring up some pie.”</p><p>“Oh, and don’t worry,” she says as she heads out. “I know you’re overwhelmed, so I’m not going to hold you to the ‘mum’ thing. But it was nice to hear.”</p><p>She winks at him as she leaves. Freddy bites down on his smile.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As soon as he ascertains that Freddy is lying on his bunk, texting Joshua, and not crying in a corner, Billy announces, “I’m eating your pie.”</p><p>“That’s fair,” says Eddie.</p><p>“I thought you would debrief me, before a big announcement! Victor asked me leading questions for 10 minutes. I ran out of ways to say ‘Trust me, I could not give less of a shit about Freddy being gay.’”</p><p>
  <em>Ah, shit. He knew he forgot something.</em>
</p><p>“I’m uh, not, technically. By the way. Ha. Bi the way.”</p><p>Billy blinks at him. “…What?”</p><p>“I like girls too.”</p><p>“Oh. <em>Oh.</em>” He pauses. “Please don’t tell Victor I’m biphobic. I cannot do this again.”</p><p>“I won’t, if you give me my pie,” Freddy says strategically.</p><p>“Asshole.” Billy says, handing the plate over. He musses up Freddy’s hair, before climbing up to his bunk.</p><p>“Dipshit,” Freddy returns, piling up sticky strawberry and icecream onto his spoon. Feeling pretty damn close to perfectly content.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I want to adopt all the Shazam children, and simultaneously could not deal with the guilt involved in separating them from the perfect group home.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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